Show Them All
by Many A Mistake
Summary: RK900. this emotionless thing, was his replacement. He'd be gone before the day was out. And the cherry on top? It was striking god damn image of Conner. The world is changing too fast and Gavin knows he'll get left behind if he lets them win. Gavin was going to show them all. No one can replace him.
1. Chapter 1

The world was the same.

That alone felt like a disservice or some kind. A neatly dressed up farce, wearing the face of normality. An apt comparison seeing exactly what it was that the sunny morning sky kept craftily hidden.

But when the morning stirred those that had to rise earlier than the sun, it all seemed the same. When Gavin's eyes opened up, sore and dry as he blearily heard his alarm crying shrilly out from beside him, everything was in its place. His ceiling was the same, a litter of scuffs and marks he had no memory causing and no concept of what might have reached up high enough to leave them there.

Sitting up slowly, willing away the pounding in his head Gavin noted idly that everything else was just the same, the flashing light of his phone sat haphazardly by his bedside to charge and wake him lit up the usual line of dust that stirred with his movements.

Seriously, he needed to clean this fucking dump. He'd needed to do that for a long time but the time never seemed right for it, always something else to distract him or if there honestly wasn't he went looking for trivial things to distract himself with instead. Just to be able to insist he never had the time.

His phone gave another whining squeal and Gavin winced at the sound, awake enough now to truly find it irritable rather than startling. Waking up with a pounding heart and breath caught in his throat was about the best he could hope for anyway. Reaching over he snatched up the little device, the illuminated numbers stared back at him.

Time and date. The same as usual. Up before the rest of the city, dressed before the sun had chosen to peak above the city skyline. Even if it had, Gavin's blinds were pulled firmly shut in an effort to keep the glow of the city out at night. It was only barely serviceable, he needed thicker blinds. Yet another thing he simply never had time for.

With the phone silenced and another check for how much time he had to get to work, Gavin stretched himself out slowly, willing his back to stop aching. He must have been balled up again last night. Curled in on himself so tight that his spine had the right to scold him with pain in the morning. Fair.

While his back didn't give a satisfying crack, Gavin found his neck did. Marginally better with each audible snap as he tipped his head from one shoulder to the other, Gavin was satisfied and got up. A glance was thrown haphazardly towards the bathroom, the possibility of a shower there but Gavin knew he'd need it after work. Always needed it more after than before. He was happy to look like shit at work - less happy to feel like shit once he was off the clock. He did what he could.

For a moment as Gavin tugged on his jacket,, just the briefest moment, the facade had him fooled too.

Keys in hand with their usual jingle, headphones neatly tucked away from when he'd no doubt need them, the early morning city smell sinking into his senses sickeningly - it all seemed just the way it was supposed to be. He opened the door into the apartment complex halls and found everything still in its place. So eerily similar to how it should have and had always been. Dirty, unpleasant, but normal. It felt the same.

No matter how it felt, however, it _wasn't._

The world _was_ different.

Even if the air didn't smell of rust and there were no bodies or ruble to be tripped over when Gavin stepped into the hallway - it was undeniably changed in ways that it didn't immediately give away.

Sure, there were no guards at the doors, no eyes watching him with guns in hand. Nothing that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise. But Gavin was waiting for it. For change. The facade wouldn't last forever.

Pausing out front of his own door as it swung shut behind him, Gavins fingers dipped into his pockets. Checking for anything he might have been missing. He didn't need much with him in the morning but it always felt as if something was out of place and he'd realise it only to curse and head back inside to get it. On a bad day it would be the keys to get inside in the first place.

But most days it was all there and he palmed around his person only to find nothing amiss.

"Am I missing something?"

Gavin asked himself. Voice rough with a night of disuse. Judging by how dusty everything tasted he'd definitely been sleeping with his mouth ajar. Just fucking graceful wasn't he? Whatever. No one's business but his own and the bottle of water his mouth needed. Coffee preferably.

It took a bit of self urging but finally Gavin decided he was just imagining things. He hadn't forgotten anything and he just had to repeat this to himself on his way downstairs.

Yes, stairs. All this advanced technology and not a single fucking soul seemed able to fix their fucking elevator. Well, 'able' was the wrong word. 'Willing', was a better fit. It likely only needed a single new part to get puttering along again, but why pay for that when people could just use the stairs?

"Jesus, so fucking cheap." Gavin cursed under his breath but took the stairs all the same.

By the time he stepped foot on the bottom step, Gavin's mood was decidedly set into a foul state. Helped none that when he shouldered the doors open with the familiar squeal, he was greeted with the every beautiful weather of Detroit. Sleet, clouds and a chill that rushed straight through him. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Briefly his eyes raked over the road ahead of him. Quiet. Most of the cars out and about would be automated, people too tired to bother being behind a wheel this hour of the day. The thought caused Gavin's stomach to clench and twist up painfully.

He took a wide step back till his shoulder brushed by the apartment complex wall as he set out down the pathway.

The likelihood of an automated vehicle or android driver losing control at the wheel were next to non-existent. Cyberlife's tune for the dance. That wording carefully encouraging infallibility while still leaving a small window of error. 'The odds _were next to_ non-existent' not that they were simply impossible.

Bitterly Gavin wondered what percentage they slapped over that likelihood and where there any thoughts spared for the remaining one percent.

Scratch that, he knew the fucking answer.

Though there was no firm ground for Cyberlife to stand on anymore. Wearily Gavin glanced up, eyes catching a drone passing by. Had to be privately owned. Cyberlife had gone into a full shutdown ever since the uprising had panned out in favour of their fucking androids. Now they faced scrutiny on all sides. Androids named them monsters, humans named them liars no matter what side of the matter they landed on.

Heads had to roll and Cyberlife looked like the go to. To their credit, what little could begrudgingly be given, they were incredibly good at covering their asses and switching their tune on a dime. They'd set up means of destroying those androids on mass when it suited them, and now they were beginning to try people pleasing. _Android_ pleasing.

Gavin had never liked the fucking company nor their androids, but even he couldn't deny the shady nature of their behaviour. Sure it had never been a shining example of humanity, but in recent years they'd edged ever closer to the sort of company you'd read about in a history book. Deceiving clients, conducting inhuman experiments, greedy, self serving bastards.

No matter which you were, a fucking android sympathiser or a sane human being - everyone was looking to Cyberlife with the guillotine in mind. Gavinc could get behind that.

Hands shoved in his pockets Gavin avoided a patch of ice, knowing that the last thing he needed was to slip right then. His bones ached bad enough as it was without a bruise to add to that pain. Heaven forbid he have a greater headache than he already did.

No. Gavin decided with a low growl under his breath and shake of his pounding head. Today will be a good day if he had to drag it out of the muck himself. Fuck Cyberlife, fuck androids, fuck their revolution, fuck all of that. He was going to have a good day if it god damn killed him.

Head up.

With that decision made Gavin took a moment to actually breathe. To ignore the slight twinge of pain in his chest and right himself. He was fine. It was just a shit morning to be walking to the precinct. He was just cold, that was why his fingers were trembling in his pockets. He could still turn this around.

The walk was a quiet one and midstep Gavin realised he had indeed forgotten something. Usually his fingers would be brushing headphones in his pocket, to keep the silence out while he walked the usual morning routine.

"Fuck." Gavin hissed sharply, feeling the loss of something so small a bit like a punch in the gut. No. A good day. He was going to have one. It wasn't that big a deal. He could survive without the noise for a while.

However, his pace did step up from there on. The sooner he was at the station, the sooner he'd hear something besides his own footsteps.

The rest of the city was shuffling to life slowly but when Gavin glanced up to see the precinct standing, it was already wide awake. The morning crew a rough one but at the very least on time. Gavin himself a few minutes early than usual. Perhaps if he didn't drag his feet each morning he wouldn't have to get up so early in the first place. He was not going to commit to a faster pace and so scrapped the idea.

When Gavin pushed through the station doors he was met with familiar faces. Most of which didn't acknowledge him as he passed on by. In return he didn't spare them a glance. It was not as though he was enemy number one within the precinct, but that did not make him the most popular person either. Just fine by him. Gavin wasn't exactly out to get chummy with people here. Sure he was friendly with a few colleagues, but they were few among the many. There was a reason he didn't have an active partner and hadn't in a good long while.

His last partner had been Chen but she'd taken a leave of absence just before everything went down and Gavin found working on his own to be preferable. Friendly as they were Chen wasn't biting at the bit to partner up with him again. She was a machine in her own right, left alone to do her thing she'd serve results. Gavin on the other hand supposedly could use a partner, not that he believed Fowler's assessment. He was fine on his own.

Besides, made his desk a much nicer place to be. Gavin sighed with a satisfied smirk as he fell down into the familiar chair and immediately kicked his feet up onto the desk. Chen had _loathed_ when he did that. Not a fussy woman by any means, but even she had limitations on his attitude. Just as soon laugh along with him on some crude joke as she would rip into him for getting dirt on the desk. His shoes were not that dirty anyway.

Early as he was, Gavin didn't immediately jump to work. There was this niggling itch in the back of his brain. One that had him almost going straight to the terminal to whip up whatever his chores were for the day. More witnesses at a guess.

After the evacuation had been lifted and people came flooding back in, there was no shortage of problems. Looters had gone absolutely nuts in people's absence despite a handful of officers remaining in the city to try and contain the damage. Now people were arriving to find their homes and stores ransacked. Others came back with an anger all their own and took it to the streets in one way or another.

Another, tended to be an android's problem. Those problems were not his, he wasn't stuck on plastic duty, that belonged to the washed up old bastard and his chatty toaster.

Despite himself, Gavin's head reached up to his neck, still able to feel just how solid a blow it had been that put him on his ass back in the archive room. He was still pretty sore about the whole thing. He'd never claimed to the 'bigger man', spite was a perfectly acceptable reaction and he held onto it closely.

Although, even Gavin had to admit that perhaps his responses at the time had been a little...out of sorts. Not something he'd ever say to the rust bucket.

If he had his way said rustbucket would not so casually be strolling through the exact same doors Gavin had entered through moments ago. A glance at his terminal and Gavin snorted, unsurprised to see the damn android was right on time. To the second. Fucking creepy bastards.

What _did_ surprise him however was the fact he had Anderson in tow.

Clearly disorientated from being up before noon and perhaps a touch hung over, the detective came shuffling in after his plastic pet looking like a man who would much rather be anywhere else. Gavin wasn't sure what was in the large container clutched between Anderson's hands, but he actually found himself hoping it wasn't coffee. Maybe out of jealousy, he could use a thermos that size, it might get him two cups worth in one go.

That and it might just keep his hands a bit warmer on his way to work in the mornings.

As the two came on in, making a beeline for that shared desk of theirs, Gavin finally kicked his feet off the desk and went to logining in to his computer, if only to avoid the inevitable glance his way he'd get from Connor.

It'd done that _every goddamn morning_ since the Captain announced it would be continuing his work here. Some off hand remark about Anderson actually being somewhat productive with it following him around. Gavin's jaw had nearly hit the floor when he found out it was being _paid_. What the actual fuck did androids need money for? They didn't eat, they didn't actually sleep - that sleep mode was not real sleep god damn it, they even stood when entering it, they didn't have homes to upkeep.

Well, the latter had changed. They could own property now, though Gavin knew not many landlords were willing to allow them in. They'd have better luck in actual realestate, those fucks didn't care who lived in the houses so long as they paid up, but that was a lot of money that no android actually had. So there was a use for that money, though Gavin was fairly sure androids were still paid half that of their human coworkers. Fine. A small justice then.

Unlike those tin cans people would actually _starve_ without their jobs. The greedy, fucking pieces of sh-

"Good morning, detective Reed."

Gavin jumped so bad he nearly fell out of his chair. He hadn't even heard the fucking thing approaching him until Connor's level, pleasant voice cut through his thoughts like a damn knife.

Each morning it glanced, sure, but it never came to speak before. Naturally, Gavin bristled furiously. "What the fuck do you want prick?" He demanded, a flush racing across his cheeks as he realised how obviously startled he'd been. By a toaster on legs, fantastic.

Nonplussed, Connor tipped it's head slightly to the side, looking calm as always and in a way beseeching. Like everything it did was an investigation. "I understand it that seeking some form of…" It paused, likely going through every word in the english language to find one what was suitable. Subtle. "...reconciliation is in order if we are to continue to work in the same precinct. I wish to extend an apology." A second pause. "For your head." It clarified with a small, twitch of a smile.

Gavin was fairly sure he could see red currently. But across the room, around Connor's side he could see the old bag of bones giving him a look that suggested he was seeing the exact same shade. It was too early in the morning for this shit and he hadn't even gotten a coffee yet. He didn't need the beating and so didn't even attempt to lay a hand on the android, that and Fowler would have his ass for harassing another employee. It used to just be damage of property, now it was a fucking employee.

In the spirit of not getting written up by Fowler or beaten down by Anderson, he kept his voice quiet rather than screaming at the damn thing.

"Look you freak, I don't fucking need an apology from some hunk of scrap metal. Now get the hell out of my face." He snarled, every word a disdainful hiss and while that kind of venom would usually prompt a response of anger or surprised hurt from a human, Connor remained impassive as always.

"I do hope you'll change your mind." Connor replied with ease. As thought he'd already run this scenario and calculated that this was the most likely outcome.

Gavin hated being picked apart like some experiment.

The urge to go back and attempt hitting the android was a strong one, consequences be damned, but fortunately Connor didn't linger. Turning and striding back over to its keeper without another word. He didn't bother trying to hear what the two were saying. He could guess. He knew what Anderson said about him. He could practically feel the loathing crawling up his spine, making him itch. Gavin tried to take a deep breath, refused to look up at the two and instead focus on the list of cases in front of him.

What did it matter that Anderson spoke about him, watched him. Everyone was watching. He just had to complete his cases and when the day was out he'd be back home and have his headphones back and everything would-

His case files were empty.

Stunned, Gavin sat back in his seat heavily and stared at the screen. All the files had been marked and moved. Taken over to different detectives to handle.

In a horrible, crippling moment he understood.

He was being replaced.

That was why the android had come over to him with some bullshit story about a peace offering. He was being mocked. The android knew this was coming. They all knew this was coming. His seat would be empty and the desk cleaned out before the end of the day. Some fake person put there the next.

It was over. He was so incredibly fucked. It was all over and his skin was itching like mad. What he wouldn't give to have his damn headphones back or something he could put between his teeth and naw on. Or at the very, _very_ , least a way to make everything just fucking sit still for a second so he could breathe. It was only a mild panic, he was handling this well. He was, really.

Then Fowler's voice reached him. "Reed, my office."

He was not handling this well. Gavin could feel his heart pounding painfully, his chest tight, breathing difficult. But he rose from his seat without a word and still refused to look to Anderson and Conner. They'd be watching. They knew. They'd known before he even stepped into the station. Did everyone know? No one looked at him this morning, they were probably having a goddamn laugh behind his back.

By the time he'd reached the steps Fowler's office, he was chewing on his thumb. Unable to help himself. Fortunately, if he were to scrape the bottom of the barrel on what was _fortunate_ for him currently, that bad habit knocked off the moment he actually stepped foot into Fowler's office.

Hand falling limp at his side he was left to stand there, staring at the thing that would no doubt be his replacement. With hands neatly clasped behind its back and a posture too firm to belong to a human, the android turned only slightly, not to acknowledge Gavin, but to take note of his existence. This emotionless, ambitionless _thing_ was going to be sitting at his seat before he could blink.

And the cherry on top? It was striking image of fucking Conner.

Yeah. That sounded just about right.


	2. Chapter 2

Fuck.

A succinct way of summing up everything that had just gone down.

The moment Gavin had laid eyes on the android in Fowler's office he'd gone into a silent panic. The thing watched him in silence and some crazed part of Gavin believed he'd not only be replaced by killed by this android. To entirely take him over.

Cold blue eyes pierced him through and Gavin could find nothing human in that steady gaze. He could hardly take a breath under the thing's stare, feeling it looking into him. Analysing him in that special way only androids could. Dizzily Gavin wondered what it's little metal brain came up with. What it thought it knew about him without even sharing a word between them.

His only mercy is that his panic remained internalised, the last thing he needed was to flip out in front of Fowler before he had the chance to say. "Reed, this is Rk900. He is going to be your partner from now on."

What?

There was more. Gruff explanations of RK900's position in the precinct, his model being the successor to Connor's, being _unique._ His line never fully put into production before Cyberlife fell. Fowler kept speaking, about how busy they were and how Gavin needed the help getting through his paperwork if nothing else and this here would be just the partner he needed

One of a kind and now Gavin's number one problem.

While his panic had managed to be swallowed down and kept private, his following anger was not. Relief did not bring with it pacification. Of course he shouted at Fowler, demanded someone else take it if the damn thing had to be here. He didn't need a partner.

The reward for his outburst was another blow to his life. His files were all taken because he was being put on the plastic patrol with Anderson and his own plastic pet. Now he had one too and Gavin had never been so mortified on the force than he was in that moment.

All his shouting got him was a warning that he'd be stuck on desk duty for the rest of his damn life if he didn't get his shit in line. Desk duty was better than being fired, but even Gavin knew how slippery a slope it was and with Fowlers current level of stress since the city was evacuated, he might just get fired if the captain lost his cool as well.

Gavin needed this job. It was all the sanity he had left.

So for once, he shut up.

With a snarl and a finger jammed in Fowler's direction, he ran out of words and left, slamming the door behind him. The thing left behind in his wake. It hadn't said a word during Fowler and Reed's exchange. Maybe it would speak with him gone. Keep secrets to itself, maybe express it's distaste for the human. Gavin was sure that if androids really felt _anything_ then it would be nothing but hatred for humans. That peaceful protest stuff was a farce. There was no way they were truly so benevolent. They just couldn't be.

They said they were alive but no human would be able to be so forgiving. Gavin wouldn't be that forgiving were he in their shoes.

The thought of storming right out of the precinct did cross his mind, but then he'd be left with nothing but a sense of defeat and the knowledge that everyone had witnessed his failure. Refusing to do that Reed instead marched himself into the break room. He _still_ hadn't had his coffee yet - too soon for his world to get torn apart like this.

The coffee machine had decided this morning was going to be one of it's bad ones. More temperamental than a woman on the rag this fucking thing. Cursing under his breath Gavin slammed his hand into the side of the machine, wishing dearly he could still that to androids.

"You go getting the idea of feelings on me and I will take you apart." Gavin vowed to the coffee machine. Unable to even feel stupid for talking to a bit of metal. Everyone else was doing it, so why the hell not?

Eventually the machine sputtered and spat, trying to cough out the coffee that Gavin so dearly needed. It managed a pitiful dribble before dying on him again. "You have got to be fucking kidding me…"

Gavin had determined today was going to be a good one when he set out this morning. Clearly the world had decided he needed a right whipping and had gotten to it.

With a string of low curses Gavin set about trying to figure out what was wrong with the damn thing. He had no real concept of what he was looking for when he peered around its outer shell just looking for anything that looked...wrong. Surely it would be easy to spot something wrong even if he didn't know what right looked like.

...right?

It was like fucking dejavu when he leapt at the sound of a steady voice, "Good morning, detective Reed." Gavin's chest seized up again and he nearly choked on his own air. That fight had been worse than the first. Appropriate seeing as the one speaking was worse than Gavin's fist headache.

Standing behind him, position exactly the same as it had been in the office as though it had simply teleported into place without shifting an inch, was the new unwelcomed tincan itself..

Scowling, Gavin tried to right himself, looking over his shoulder at the thing. It did not respond to his foul stare, simply observing him for a few seconds. Perhaps waiting for a greeting in return, when it become clear it wasn't getting one, the android went on.

"I do look forward to our working relationship together, detective. I believe that my programming will vastly improve productivity." This was the incorrect thing to say. Granted there was nothing that RK900 could have said that would not have set Gavin off.

Turning sharply Gavin forgot his previous attempts to avoid trouble by not being violent, finger jabbed against the androids chest. Finding it too sturdy to be human, unfair really, it didn't have to work to keep that physique."Listen here you plastic fuck, I don't need you doing a goddamn thing. This is a job for _humans_. It is _my_ job, so back the fuck up before a make you."

The threat didn't seem to register, or rather it was noted and promptly set aside as invalid. There was a brief silence, RK900's gave dropping down to Gavin's finger and then back to his face before repeating the motion. Clearly calculating something though Gavin couldn't guess exactly what that was.

Then the damn thing had cocked it's head in the same way Connor did and for a split second Gavin thought that it might actually resemble its predecessor more than he expected. Those eyes that had been so sharp and cold at a first glance seemed...stupid. Connor had that look too. That naieve, lost expression that hid a mind sharper and quicker than any human's.

It was just another ruse, a way to make him drop his guard. A human emotion programmed into it to make RK900 seem less dangerous.

Why the fuck they'd kept that after making it taller and broader than Connor was beyond Gavin. Did those lunatics think they could have it both ways? Intimidation mixed with a puppy dog expression? Christ.

Finally, coming to some type of conclusion, RK900 gently but firmly grasped Gavin's hand. The motion shocking the detective into a moment of stillness. Almost expecting the thing to suddenly twist until the bone in his wrist snapped under the force. Instead the android simply pulled him back until Gavin could no longer poke at him.

Holding firm as it spoke. "I believe this level of aggression to be counterproductive to the mission, detective. I desire a healthy working relationship with you. We are to be partners and as such it is for the best we get along."

It was patronising him. Gavin seethed, whole body thrumming with the desire to just lash out and punch it across its stupid, strong jaw. It had to be fucking with him, talking down to him like he was some moody brat. No one fucking spoke like that to him. Not in his own damn workplace.

The hand grasping his wrist tightened a fraction, drawing Gavin's attention back to it and a fresh wave of that unease thinking RK900 would break it. But then just as quickly Gavin was released, not to much as a bruise on him. "In the spirit of improving our relationship, I would like to-"

"No. Shut up." Gavin snapped angrily. So sick of hearing it talking down to him. "You want use to be buddy-buddy? Well by all means," Gavin's voice dripped with mockery, almost wanting to bait the thing somehow. It was just an android of course, it wouldn't rise to that bait, Connor hadn't either when he'd been the one standing in this exact position. "make me a coffee, tincan."

The blue LED at the android's temple flashed. Gavin only caught a glimpse of that light change. He didn't even see what it had done and when he tried to get a better look it was back to a steady blue. What had that been?

On RK900's face there was a slight pinch of his brows, more calculations going on. Not choices. Androids didn't make choices, just computed things.

Just as Gavin's patience was running thin and he'd been about to snap at the android to hurry right the fuck up, RK900's gaze slipped over his shoulder towards the coffee machine. Then it began moving, seemingly to approach the coffee machine.

No way. Was it really…?

Gavin almost couldn't believe his eyes when it strode past him to look over the buggered machine. Connor hadn't done that. Only spouted off something about only answering to it's daddy-

Oh. Was RK900 supposed to answer to him exclusively like Connor said he did to Anderson? That thought hadn't properly sunk in for Gavin by the time it spoke again.

"You seemed to be having some trouble with this earlier." It had been watching him? Of course it had. They saw everything. "For future reference, you need only top the water back up." It explained calming and yet again Gavin felt a flash of anger at it. Androids were just so _perfect_ weren't they?

So much better than humans. Of course people got replaced by plastic. Humans weren't good enough and androids took their place.

Fuck that. He'd show them all.

With a quiet click, RK900 went about setting the coffee machine right again. Gavin saw it smoothly remove the container that kept the water topped up and fill it before sliding it back into place. This time when the coffee machine was coaxed to life it gurgled almost as if pleased with the change and let a steady stream of steaming coffee come spilling out.

Gavin felt betrayed by its compliance. Fucking thing probably didn't even need the damn water, it was just another way for the world to fuck with his day having this android show him up.

There was a silence as the cup was filled. Gavin didn't feel particularly smug however, not until RK900 turned with the burning cup in hand and offered it to him.

"Detective, do you have any cream or sugar?" It asked, but Gavin didn't answer. Mood to sour for that.

Briefly the thought of knocking the cup away and snarling some hateful words at the machine to tell it exactly where they stood crossed Gavin's mind but...fucking hell he really did need that coffee. So rather than swat it away, Gavin snatched the cup and tried not to wince when it began to scald his skin a bit.

Passive as always RK900 watched him. Probably making some freaky notes on his every move. Monitoring him, breaking him down into dot points. Dehumanising him with every second it stared.

No violent words immediately came into Gavin's head and so he just turned away from the machine with a huff and walked out. Thinking that might be cold enough to get the message home. He didn't like the android, he wasn't going to like it. He wasn't going to acknowledge it as his partner or as a living being and as soon as he got the chance it would be _gone_.

If RK900 was a single model it might just have an accident and get the hell out of his life.

Gavin didn't want to get fired and - god forbid in this upside down world - charged with murder. Like this thing was actually a person. So unfortunately shooting was off the table. But this was a dangerous gig, who knows, might just get lucky.

By the time he reached his desk, Gavin's hand was throbbing uncomfortably. His fingers had been so cold that the hot ceramic cup made them tingle and sting. At least he knew it was the heat causing that sensation.

This time when Gavin sat down he couldn't summon up the desire to kick his feet up, too tense for that. And naturally it only got worse when the android followed after him, taking the seat opposite his own. Setting up shop like he had a god given right to sit there. Gavin was grinding his teeth but tried to get the fuck on with life.

Opening up his case files and seeing a whole new set of them baring android involvement was yet another kick to the teeth. The day he'd decided would be a good one had decidedly become one of the worst.

While he scrolled rather aimlessly through the cases he tried not to think about how unnaturally still his new ' _partner_ ' was. The only movement from it a flick of his eyes as it rushed through the information on screen. Probably didn't even need to read, just downloaded it all into its head. The glorified computer.

He actually didn't mean that literally but when the android sat back and met his gaze head on without any hesitation, Gavin realised that was probably exactly what it had done. His mouth felt dry, fingers grasping his pant legs tightly. He would not be replaced by this thing.

"Detective, today will be our first case together. I would ask your input on which you would pursue first."

It wanted...his opinion? Gavin glowered, looking for a set up, some sign that it was going to deceive him. Surely it was just dying to show him how inadequate his little human mind was. "What you don't have a clue?" He snapped rather than answering.

Again RK900 tipped its head to the side, expression pulling into a practiced look of thought, maybe even something sheepish though it's imposing figure couldn't pull it off in the way Connor could. "I have...made a judgement on which of the cases I believe best to follow up first. However, as you so _calmly_ , pointed out - you are indeed the senior officer."

Was that...did it just sound sarcastic? Sarcasm slapped in between something like respect. What the actual fuck was this thing's programming? He was going to get whiplash from this.

Despite all this, Gavin did in fact have an opinion and he'd be damned if he let this machine decide what they'd do. Glancing back to his consol Gavin's eyes landed quickly on the first case he saw. Refusing to let the android know how much slower he read. Fortunate for him it didn't seem like the worst pick.

"Taking down an android murderer sounds like a blast." He said dryly, putting on a show of the usual dispassionate disgust for androids. Even though the words 'android murderer' was still an unsettling one.

Until a few months ago the thought of an android killing someone was a piece of fiction. Plenty of movies and books indulged in the idea, but it had been like time travel or dinosaurs - well out of the realm of reason. Now it was just as feasible as a human killer.

Why did androids kill? Gavin would never admit to being curious, but he was. Androids were not human, murder was a very human thing, so why did androids do it?

In theory he had the answers, but things like fear and revenge were - once again - human traits. It had to be a glitch in their programming. Something Cyberlife had fucked up.

Either way it was his fucking problem now.

Across from him RK900 nodded and turned back to its computer, the idea of anything belonging to an android still set Gavin's nerves on edge. "Very well." Gavin couldn't tell if it approved of his decision or not and that grated on him like mad. Did it think he was stupid for choosing that? He didn't ask. "I will organise what notes we have and see what can be done about witness interviews."

Well...that sounded more like PA work. Gavin admittedly didn't mind that so much, having the android doing the grunt work. So long as he still had work to do then he could survive. If he did the detective work, the interviews and interrogations - then it was not the end of the world.

Though it felt sickeningly close to it.

Gavin didn't bother with an answer, preferring silence for a damn while. When the first message from RK900 popped up on his screen with a neatly organised list of events and relevant information on the murders, Gavin was a touch taken aback. It had said that was what it was doing and yet Gavin was still startled.

A personal assistant huh? Gavin didn't want any androids in his goddamn life, but of the bunch, a PA wouldn't be the worst of them. He still resolved to get rid of the fucking thing before the week was out.

Mercifully for both of them, silence was an accepted practice for the day.

Wasn't the end of the world yet.


End file.
